The Islamization of knowledge

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Abstract

The legitimation of science is an increasingly important
issue in science studies. In this thesis, I examine the
legitimation issue in a non-Euroamerican setting within the
context of the Islamization of knowledge debate.
The Islamization of knowledge debate emerged within the
context of the perceived crisis of Islamic civilizational and
concomitant crisis the intellectuals. Within the
Islamization of knowledge, I describe three distinct
approaches which I label traditional, indigenization, and
nativization approaches.

The legitimation used by the advocates of the
Islamization of knowledge changed over time. The change
is due to the increasing legitimacy and power the
Islamization of knowledge gained in the last two decades.
This increasing legitimacy has led to the exclusion the
most traditional views on science and to disciplinary
infighting between advocates of the different Islamization
strategies.

Each approach to science uses different legitimation
strategies and has different objectives. The advocates of
traditional approach are trying to maintain the status quo.
The advocates of the indigenization approach are trying to
change power relationships in their favor by constructing
themselves as the modern ulama who would make policy-decisions
based on their possession of knowledge relevant to Islamic
civilization. The advocates of the nativization approach are
trying to change power relationships in their favor by
reconstructing science from its epistemological foundations
using Islamic concepts.